The French FryGreen Lantern Resurgence
by SergeantFuzzyBoots
Summary: Penny and Leonard go costume shopping for Stuart's Halloween party. Set during episode 6.05 The Holographic Excitation. In response to Lenny Week Day Six's prompt "Missing Moments".


**Lenny Week Day Six! The prompt is "Missing Moments". This'll be my last fic entry for Lenny Week, but if I have time, I should post a graphic of some sort on Tumblr. Hope you all enjoy this!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

"So, did you want to try and get matching costumes?" Leonard asked as they entered the Halloween store in the mall, temporarily open for the season.

"Mm," Penny said biting her lip. "Would you make us go as _Star Wars_ characters if I said yes?"

"No," he replied, looking glum. "Sheldon texted me earlier and said that he and Amy are doing _StarWars_, so it's taken."

The waitress frowned slightly. "I thought Amy didn't want to dress up like droids."

Leonard shrugged. "I guess she changed her mind. Although, Sheldon's text ends with dot, dot, dot, so maybe ..." He shook his head. "I don't really want to know. So no matching then?"

"No matching," she agreed, beginning to examine the rows of costumes on display. "I was thinking of going the 'slutty cop' route, anyway."

Leonard raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Penny stuck her tongue out at him.

The couple eventually split up to cover the different aisles. Penny smiled fondly when she saw a Green Lantern costume hanging up, wishing Leonard had been with her to see that. The last time he'd worn that they'd been broken up, in a weird place. Although back together, things had gotten rocky again, but the incident with Alex had helped the Nebraskan begin to figure things out, and earlier today when she'd visited Leonard's lab ... well, she'd realized a few things. Remembering how smart her boyfriend was hadn't been the only reason Penny had looked at him that way after he'd explained the Holographic Principle. So, yes. Things were looking good again.

"Um, I think I found your 'slutty cop'." Leonard's voice snapped Penny out of her thoughts and she turned to see him standing a few feet from her. "Though I'm surprised I was able to considering there's so little of it." The experimental physicist held up the costume which consisted of only a skirt and two badges.

Penny's eyes widened. "Okay, well that's out. Guess I'll have to keep looking. Did you find anything for yourself?" she asked, starting to rifle through the racks of costumes.

"Einstein."

"Einstein?" Penny glanced back at her boyfriend just as he revealed a wig of wild, white hair from behind his back. She stared as he gave her a wide grin. "Seriously?"

Leonard shrugged. "Yeah. Plus, I thought you'd taken a special liking to the whole genius thing recently."

Penny returned the mischievous smile he gave her before stepping closer to him. "True," she said, placing a hand in the experimental physicist's hair upon reaching him. "But, Einstein didn't rock the dark, curly haired, glasses-wearing look all the sexy geniuses have."

"You don't find this sexy?" Leonard teased, before covering his head with the wig.

Penny laughed as he tried to get the hair to puff out properly, eventually leaning in to help him out by pulling at the white strands. "I'd stick with what you've got," she informed him, still giggling slightly. "Although the hair's fun to play with."

* * *

"You're sure you don't want any?" he asked for the third time.

Penny rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, I'm sure. And don't worry, I won't eat any of the crispy ones." The couple had stopped by the food court after purchasing their costumes, Penny having chosen the "sexy cop" outfit instead.

Leonard returned to the table Penny was holding for them a few minutes later. He placed the fries in the middle as he sat down. "You're sure you didn't –"

"_Yes_," Penny said, nudging his leg with her foot from under the table.

He smirked. "Just checking."

"Oh, so Amy texted me," Penny told him. "She said that she and Sheldon are compromising on their costumes, so ..."

"You don't really want to know either?" Leonard finished for her.

"Yup," she agreed before popping a fry into her mouth. "What?" she asked when her boyfriend gaped at her. "I promised I wouldn't eat the _crispy_ ones. And by eating these ones, you'll get to the crispy fries faster."

Leonard simply rolled his eyes.

"I don't see how Sheldon and Amy will beat the _amazing _costume matching we did, though," Penny joked, ignoring Leonard's mock glare as she went for another fry.

"Well, Einstein was actually a bit of hound dog," Leonard said, grabbing her hand as she moved to grab a third fry. He took the one she'd been aiming for and bit into it. "It wouldn't be that farfetched that he partnered himself with a sexy cop at some point."

"Even if she ate all his fries?" Penny asked, playfully trying to tug her hand away.

"Mm," Leonard said pensively, pretending not to notice his girlfriend's struggle to liberate herself. He picked up another fry in his free hand. "Probably." He tossed the fry to her and she caught it in her teeth. They both grinned.

* * *

The couple walked hand in hand through the mall after the fries were done, their costumes in a shopping bag Leonard was carrying.

"Oh, hey, let's stop here a sec," Penny said, pointing out a clothing outlet.

"You want to shop for clothes?" Leonard asked, sounding reluctant.

"We've been shopping for clothes this whole time!"

"Yeah, but they were Einstein's clothes."

Penny rolled her eyes and began tugging him by the hand towards the store. "Oh come on, I'll buy you something nice."

"As boyfriend, isn't that stereotypically my job?" His tone made it clear he was joking, but Penny could still detect the hint of genuine surprise in his voice.

"You bought my costume for me," she pointed out. She gave him a small smile. "And you get back what you put into relationships." That got him grinning and she continued to lead him through the store.

Most of the merchandise didn't go with Leonard's usual attire. No sci-fi or science T-shirts, and there wasn't a hoodie in sight. Penny steered clear of the shirts, not wanting to do what Stephanie and Priya had and try to give him a whole new wardrobe. This decision made finding an outfit difficult, but eventually the waitress came across something she thought might work.

"Underwear?" Leonard asked, the shock evident on his face.

"Sexy, black underwear," she said, grinning. "You know, to go with your sexy genius look."

He nodded, smiling. "They'd look pretty good in my lab."

Penny's grin widened. "I agree." She took Leonard's hand again and the two headed for the cash register. You got back what you put into relationships, indeed.


End file.
